Medtronic's EV ICD System Proves Effective in Cardiac Arrhythmia Management: Long-term Study Results

Medtronic plc MDT announced longer-term follow-up results of its investigational Extravascular Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (EV ICD) System, designed to treat dangerously fast heart rhythms that can lead to sudden cardiac arrest, including patients followed through an average of 17.1 months.

Medtronic says its EV ICD system is a first-of-its-kind implantable defibrillator designed to avoid certain risks of traditional, transvenous ICDs because its lead (thin wire) is placed outside the heart and veins under the sternum (breastbone). 

Also Read: FDA Approves Medtronic's Next Generation Micra Leadless Pacing Systems.

The system offers anti-tachycardia pacing (ATP), pause prevention pacing, and a device similar in size, shape, and battery longevity to transvenous ICDs. 

Using a minimally invasive approach, the device is implanted below the left armpit (in the left mid-axillary region).

The study found that of the 299 implanted patients, an estimated 6.8% (Kaplan-Meier estimate) of patients experienced appropriate therapy by 18 months, with 19 patients experiencing 80 spontaneous, appropriately treated arrhythmic episodes. 

Of discrete episodes treated with shock, 21/21 (100%) were successfully terminated. ATP successfully treated 35/52 episodes (67.3%). 

Shocks were avoided in nearly half of all spontaneous episodes because of the availability of ATP. These chronic data build on the EV ICD system's previously reported defibrillation effectiveness results at implant (98.7%).

Price Action: MDT shares are up 0.02% at $89.35 on the last check Monday.